Pakistan has blocked India’s bid to join Nuclear Suppliers Group

Islamabad: Prime Minister’s adviser on foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz has claimed that we have successfully blocked India’s bid for joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). He made this statement ahead of the meeting of the 48-Nation NSG Seoul conference. Both Pakistan and India have submitted their applications for joining NSG and the plenary decision will be taken during the Seoul conference this week.

Sartaj Aziz said, “We have been making successful efforts against India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group membership,”
Aziz has also advocated Pakistan’s case for gaining membership and asserted that Pakistan has strong credentials to gain NSG membership. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has also said that Pakistan fulfills criteria and it is more likely to gain NSG membership if the decision would be made on the basis of merit.

Earlier, China had repeatedly opposed Indian membership due to the reason that India has not signed the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) yet and demanded Non-discriminatory criteria for NSG inclusion, but, now China has opened doors for all non NPT signatories including India and Pakistan. It is pertinent that China has soft consent for Pakistan’s inclusion and advocated Pakistan’s candidature for NSG. China’s state-run Global Times have also emphasized on non-discriminatory approach for all NPT states and argued that If the United States and other countries would exempt India then Pakistan should get the same treatment to maintain regional stability.

Apparently, India’s hopes for NSG membership are bleak hitherto due to China’s obstinacy.